It is well known in the art of cleaning devices to use agitators to clean surfaces such as carpets, upholstery, and bare floors. These agitators can function in a variety of ways and appear in many forms. One typical embodiment of an agitator is a tube that rotates around its longitudinal axis and has one or more features that agitate the surface as it rotates. Such features typically include one or more bristle tufts, flexible flaps, bumps, and so on. The agitation moves or dislodges dirt from the surface, making it easier to collect by the cleaning device. Agitators can be employed in a variety of cleaning devices including vacuum cleaners and sweepers. In a sweeper, the agitator typically moves or throws the dirt directly into a receptacle, and in a vacuum cleaner or similar device the dirt may be entrained in an airflow generated by a vacuum within the cleaning device, and thereby conveyed to a filter bag, cyclone separator or other kind of dirt collection device in the vacuum cleaner. An example of such an agitator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,004, which reference is incorporated herein.